Deployable wing

Abstract

The deployable wing of the present invention comprises an internal structure having diverging leading edge spars attached to a keel spar and cross spars to form a delta wing configuration. This internal structure is enclosed within a volume defined by a fabric sail having an upper section, a lower section, and fabric ribs disposed therebetween. This fabric sail volume is internally pressurized through a ram air intake at the nose stagnation point. This deployable wing can be folded and deployed in the air.

We claim: 
     
       1. A deployable wing, comprising: a. a double membrane fabric sail having an upper section disposed above and joined to a lower section, said sail having a leading edge with a front point, a trailing edge, and wing tips,   b. an internal structure disposed between said upper section and said lower section, said internal structure having, i. two leading edge spars, each of said leading edge spars having a first end and a second end, said first ends of said leading edge spars pivotally connected together at approximately said front point,   ii. a keel spar connected to and disposed between said leading edge spars at said front point and extending rearward toward said trailing edge, and   iii. at least two cross spars pivotally attached to said leading edge spars and to a sliding mechanism which transverses along said keel spar;     c. a plurality of fabric ribs disposed between and connected to said upper section and said lower section, wherein said fabric ribs have at least one slot through which said cross spars extend from said keel spar to said leading edge spars and said fabric ribs define a shape of said fabric sail when inflated, and   d. a ram air intake located on said leading edge at the stagnation point of the wing during operation.   
     
     
       2. A deployable wing as in claim 1 further comprising at least one elevon strut attached to said second end of each of said leading edge spars wherein said elevon struts can be moved to thereby control the wing's flight. 
     
     
       3. A deployable wing as in claim 2 further comprising an actuator for moving said elevon struts such that said wing tips move out of the plane of the wing. 
     
     
       4. A deployable wing as in claim 1 further comprising external rigging, wherein said rigging comprises at least two upper rigging spars pivotally joined together above said keel spar, and at least two cables connecting from said upper rigging joint to said leading edge spars. 
     
     
       5. A deployable wing as in claim 1, wherein each of said leading edge spars have at least one telescoping member to accommodate small packaging constraints. 
     
     
       6. A deployable wing as in claim 1, wherein said lower section extends rearward from and substantially aligns with the center of said leading edge spars. 
     
     
       7. A deployable wing as in claim 6, wherein said lower section substantially encapsulates said leading edge spars. 
     
     
       8. A deployable wing as in claim 7 wherein said lower section forms a luff curve from said connection of said cross spars to said leading edge spars to said second ends of said leading edge spars. 
     
     
       9. A deployable wing as in claim 1 further comprising a control device for twisting a portion of said leading edge spars to control the flight of said wing by deforming the shape of said wing. 
     
     
       10. A deployable wing as in claim 1, wherein said fabric ribs have a length and a thickness with a maximum thickness of about 10% to about 15% of said length and occurring at about 27% to about 33% of said length. 
     
     
       11. A method for air dropping a payload, which comprises: a. providing a deployable wing comprising: i. a double membrane fabric sail having an upper section disposed above and joined to a lower section, said sail having a leading edge, and wing tips,   ii. an internal structure disposed between said upper section and said lower section, said internal structure having, a. two leading edge spars with a first end and a second end, said first ends of said leading edge spars pivotally connected together at approximately said front point,   b. a keel spar connected to and disposed between said leading edge spars at said front point and extending rearward toward said trailing edge, and   c. at least two cross spars pivotally attached to said leading edge spars and to a sliding mechanism which transverses along said keel spar;     iii. a plurality of fabric ribs disposed between and connected to said upper section and said lower section, wherein said fabric ribs have at least one slot through which said cross spars extend from said keel spar to said leading edge spars and said fabric ribs define a shape of said fabric sail when inflated, and   iv. a ram air intake located on said leading edge at the stagnation point of the wing during operation, wherein said deployable wing is in a closed position such that said leading edge spars are aligned parallel to said keel spar;     b. attaching the payload to said deployable wing; and   c. deploying said wing from an aircraft, wherein said leading edge spars open, said sliding mechanism moves rearward toward the trailing edge and locks said cross spars into place and air enters said wing through said ram air intake to inflate said wing and form an airfoil shape.   
     
     
       12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein said leading edge spars have telescoping members which telescope to their open position during deployment. 
     
     
       13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein said deployable wing has an elevon strut connected to the second end of each of said leading edge spars and is remotely controlled via said elevon struts. 
     
     
       14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein said wing is deployed utilizing a drogue parachute attached to said payload and said sliding mechanism. 
     
     
       15. A remotely controllable wing, said wing having a delta-wing geometry, comprising: a fabric sail having an upper section joined to a lower section and including an intake opening;   an internal structure disposed substantially between said upper section and said lower section, said internal structure including at least two leading edge spars connected together at approximately a front point, a keel spar connected to and disposed between said leading edge spars at said front point and at least one cross spar attached to said leading edge spars;   a plurality of elevon struts connected to the internal structure and substantially enclosed within the fabric sail; and   a control device operatively connected to at least one of said elevon struts, said control device being remotely operable to move at least one of said elevon struts between a first position substantially within a plane defined by the wing and a second position substantially out of the plane of the wing.   
     
     
       16. A remotely controllable wing as in claim 15, wherein said control device is a motor or actuator. 
     
     
       17. A method for remotely controlling a wing, which comprises: a. providing a deployable wing comprising: i. a fabric sail having an upper section joined to a lower section and including an intake opening;   ii. an internal structure disposed substantially between said upper section and said lower section, said internal structure including at least two leading edge spars connected to either at approximately a front point, a keel spar connected to and disposed between said leading edge spars at said front point and at least one cross spar attached to said leading edge spars;   iii. a plurality of elevon struts connected to the internal structure and substantially enclosed within the fabric sail;   iv. a remotely operable control device operatively connected to at least one of said elevon struts; and     b. signaling said control device to move at least one of said elevon struts between a first position substantially within a plane defined by the deployable wing and a second position substantially out of the plane of the wing.